Fans of the Youtube star Dodie Clark, dodie as she is known, are waiting in anticipation for the 24 year-old’s first full album that was announced back in October. Set to release March 5th, the British singer songwriter has already released three prior EPs. The first two singles from the highly anticipated first album, Build A Problem show a new side to dodie. “Cool Girl” released on October 19th came with the release of a music video featuring dodie herself surrounded by all female presenting dancers in a modern dance sequence.
Dodie is known for performing sweet melodies with quirky lyrics on her Ukulele and that is mostly the kind of thing you see when you search her channel on Youtube. Though dodie usually dotes a more toned back style of production, “Cool Girl” takes on a slightly more up tempo and more indie-pop sound. It features dreamy backing harmonies that give the feel a kind of haunting, almost witchy, quality that fit with the lyrics. In her song, dodie talks about putting on a facade and trying to appear all cool and fine when underneath all of that she feels the opposite. The song feels like there is something bubbling beneath the surface, it has a gradual build to the chorus that feels almost like it’s unraveling.
Watch the music video for “Cool Girl” here:
The second single released on December 11th from her upcoming album, “Rainbow”, is not a new song at all. Although this is the first recorded version, the Youtube star released a video of her performing the song on her channel in 2018. This recording features strings that back her soft vocals and simple lead guitar. She has performed the track in her live shows in the past accompanied by rainbow stage lights. The Brit star doesn’t shy away from queer themes in her songs, she came out as bisexual on her Youtube channel in 2017. Her music often reflects that, in songs like “She” from her 2019 EP Human in which she expresses her feelings of having a crush on a woman who doesn’t feel the same (a feeling many of us queer women know all too well). The song has turned her into a queer indie star and “She” has become an anthem for many young people in the LGBTQ+ community.
In the past Dodie’s style has been compared to Regina Specktor with her quirkiness, mellow tone, and scaled back instrumentals. Though her sound isn’t particularly fresh in the indie/folk world, it is her particularly deep and evocative lyrics that set her apart. They are authentic and honest. Dodie is very accessible to her, mostly younger, audience because of her Youtube presence where she has 1.9 million subscribers. In her new music the sincerity she portrays on her Youtube channel shines through. Compared to her first three EPs that felt like she was trying hard to be the ultimate quirky indie girl and only had one or two good songs. Her newer stuff takes on a more mature sound. It’s more refined and feels like she’s really trying to define herself more as a musician and less as a Youtuber who sings. I prefer this new sound over the whole manic pixie dream girl act, it will take this singer/songwriter/internet personality to the next level in her career. Exciting things are to come for this artist in 2021.
